Are Your Employees Truly Engaged?

By: Jennifer Leahy
October 4th, 2011

Engaged employees are productive employees and productive employees boost the bottom line for any business. While many business costs are fixed and profits limited, the return on investment gleaned from employees who are engaged in their companies can significantly better or hinder business growth.

Aberdeen Group research found the top three areas bettered by engaged employees:

• Workforce productivity/employee performance

• Employee retention

• Quality of goods/services produced

Determining whether or not your employees are truly engaged can be tough for business owners, especially in a down economy. Happy to have a job and paycheck, many workers are less likely to share any feelings of discontent. Most workers in this category will explore other employment options once they feel the economic climate is better.

How can employers determine if their employees are engaged? Ask the following questions:

Are job openings filled internally or by employee referral? If your employees enjoy their jobs, they will want to advance their careers with your company. Employees will also be quick to recommend your company to job-seeking friends and family members.

Do your employees understand how their daily tasks align with the business goals and priorities?People who do tasks only because they are paid to do so are far less effective than those who perform because they are onboard with the goals of their employer. If employees are working for the “cause” they are engaged; a paycheck is not enough motivation to ensure peak performance.

Does your company promote a culture of career development? If you are not actively helping employees better themselves and attain new skills and abilities, they will likely imagine their future at another company, making them naturally less engaged in your operation.

Do employees seem enthusiastic? Yes, they would probably rather be poolside, but are they relatively happy to be in your business each day? If your workers appear unhappy they likely are not only unhappy but entirely unengaged.

“When organizations make engagement a priority throughout the talent management lifecycle, and also put in place the processes, tolls, and training that allows individuals and leaders to align their efforts to achieve a common goal, it is a powerful recipe for success,” writes Aberdeen Group researcher Mollie Lombardi.

How is your retention rate? Some turnover is inevitable due to employee life change but if your retention rate is lower than your competitors, it’s a sure sign your employees are not engaged. Some business owners find that exit interviews can yield clues as to the source of the discontent.

Still uncertain if your employees are content and engaged? Ask them these questions developed by the Gallup Consulting Organization, designed to offer insight on employee retention, productivity, customer engagement and safety.

• Do I know what is expected of me at work?

• Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work correctly?

• At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

• In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work?

• Does my supervisor or someone at work seem to care about me as a person?

• Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

• At work, do my opinions seem to count?

• Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel like my work is important?

• Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

• Do I have a best friend at work?

• In the last six months, have I talked with someone about my progress?

• In the last year, have I had opportunities to learn and grow?

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